Into the Wild
by Gweneveire
Summary: After deciding his team has become dependent on technology, Robin leaves Jump City in the questionably capable hands of the Titans East and plans an exciting, week-long camping trip up north for the five of them. It's not long before the question on everyone's minds is what will kill them first: the elements or each other? As fluffy as a marshmallow shaped like a bunny.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Look at me, writing a second story! A few days ago my new fiance decided we need time alone and thought a three day canoe trip down river would be the perfect idea! …I love him, but I really don't understand why he thought that was a good idea. I have pale skin, I'm allergic to grass and I hate bugs. Nature's cool, it just hates me. ANYWAY, I thought you know who would hate this? Raven. And this short story was born. I hope you enjoy!

XOXO

Gwen

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not the Teen Titans franchise, not any brand names mentioned, _nothing_.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Robin stood on the rooftop, admiring the view of the bay. No matter how many times he had seen it, it never grew less beautiful. This was his city, his home. He smiled as he turned his face up towards the sunshine. Today was going to be a beautiful day. Living on the California coast, they were prone to heat waves this time of the year, but today was in the lower 80's and breezy.

Robin checked his communicator. It was almost noon. Their schedule was clear today, permitting no one decided to strike up trouble, and he decided it would be the perfect time to relax in the sun. He mused about what they could do as he descended the stairs from the rooftop and headed towards the common room. Swimming at the beach, a picnic in the park, or a trip to the pier were all viable options.

He strode into the common room with a smile on his face. Fortunately, everyone was there.

"Hey guys!" he called in greeting. "I was thinking we could go out this afternoon. It's beautiful outside and..." he trailed off when he realized no one was listening to him. He drew his eyebrows together as he studied his teammates' behavior.

Beast Boy and Cyborg sat on the couch, furiously clicking away at the buttons of two video game controllers. No surprise there. Around them was a smattering of empty pizza boxes, soda cans, and chip bags. The intermittent sound effects from the game were loud enough to drown out his words. He drew closer to the couch and tried again.

"Guys! Did you hear me? I think we should do something together this afternoon. Outside," he added. Cyborg only gave him a grunt, whereas Beast Boy had a few words in return.

"Why? It's like a million degrees out there." He didn't take his eyes off the screen as he spoke. Robin frowned.

"Actually it's eighty two. The weather's great today. Cyborg?"

"Uh, sounds fun Robin, but we're kinda in the middle of a tournament here." He too was totally immersed in the game. Robin sighed. He clearly wasn't making any progress here. Turning around to find his next target, he spotted Starfire leaning against the kitchen counter. Silkie was lying next to her, and if Robin wasn't mistaken there was an unhappy expression on the larva's face.

"Hey Starfire, what's up?"

She looked up at him and gave him a genuine smile. "Greetings to you as well friend!" After her unusually short reply she turned back to what she was doing. Robin peeked at the object in her hands.

"Is that a... cell phone?" It was pink and covered in glitter, making it hard to tell. Starfire nodded as her fingers danced over the keyboard, as if with much practice.

"It is indeed. I am using it to communicate with others whom I have never before met in person," she explained, giggling as the phone chimed with another message. "It is a fascinating Earthly concept called a 'chat room!'"

Robin narrowed his eyes. "Who taught you about those?"

"Friend Beast Boy was most kind in instructing me in their use." The phone chimed again, eliciting another round of giggles.

"Great. Anyway I was wondering if you'd like to hang out with me this afternoon. I thought we might go to the park."

Starfire looked up, a frown on her face. "Though I would enjoy that Robin, I have promised my friends on the line that we may continue our discussions. Perhaps we could venture out tomorrow?"

"Uh, sure," he answered, though her attention was already back to the phone. Silkie made a noise at him as he walked away, as if to say 'nice try.' He too was being neglected.

Finally he turned to locate the last member of his team: Raven. He spotted her at the kitchen table. As he made his way over an argument erupted between the two on the couch.

"Hey Raven, I was wondering if—"

"This is my controller!"

"Yeah but it's my turn to play and mine ran out of batteries!"

"Then go get some more batteries!"

He cleared his throat loudly, causing Raven to look up but doing nothing to quiet the arguing idiots.

"I wanted to know if—"

"Hey! Get your tofu-loving hands off my game system!"

"Your game system? I thought this was 'our' game system. That was what you told me when I asked for my own one in my room!"

"Do you want to come with me—"

"Robin?" Starfire called from the kitchen. "Please, what is the meaning of the phrase 'hook up?' If I plan to meet this friend in person, shall I be required to bring a hook?"

"Give me the phone!" Robin and Raven said at the same time. He looked back to her, thankful for her support on this matter.

"Wait a minute... are you reading on a _Kindle_?" he asked incredulously, noticing the tablet in Raven's hands. She simply shrugged.

"It beats going out to the bookstore." Those were words he thought would never come out of her mouth. She used to love going to the bookstore. When had they all gotten so lazy?

"Cyborg, STOP IT!"

"NOT UNTIL I GET THE CONTROLLER BACK!"

Robin felt the blood rushing to his head, which was now pounding with the beginnings of a headache. It was all too much for him.

"EVERYONE BE QUIET!" he shouted, causing every one of them to turn and stare. He seethed, trying to keep his temper at bay. The only sound was the faint music from the video game.

"That's it! Team meeting right here in two hours. Attendance is mandatory," he added, catching looks from a few of them. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode from the common room.

* * *

Raven examined the smooth surface of the kitchen table, wondering how long it had had those stains on it. They seemed ground in, like they were a part of the once yellow counter top. Robin had yet to make his grand entrance, though the four of them had already assembled around the kitchen table.

Raven had no idea what this was about, but judging by Robin's reaction earlier, it was something serious. It seemed like it was a reaction to what was happening in the common room, though that explanation made little sense. Beast Boy and Cyborg were arguing, Raven was reading, Starfire was immersed in her newly-discovered world of social media. In other words, life was going on as normal.

Finally she heard the swish of the common room doors, indicating that Robin had joined them. She looked up to see him descend the stairs, an almost-hidden grin on his face. Raven instantly narrowed her eyes in suspicion, picking up vibes of excitement and pride from him. _What's he so happy about?_ she wondered.

Without any introduction, he laid out his complaints. "The reason we're having this meeting is because we need to reevaluate our lifestyle outside of crime-fighting. Looking around the common room this morning, I can see that it's only a matter of time before these things start affecting our performance as a team."

"Uh, Robin?" Cyborg interjected. "Mind cluing us in on what the heck you're talking about?" Beast Boy nodded enthusiastically beside him. Though she wouldn't admit it, even Raven was curious.

"Cyborg, when was the last time you left the tower? And in response to an alarm doesn't count," he clarified.

"Uh..." Cyborg trailed off, drawing his brows together in concentration as he recalled his schedule. "Two weeks ago to get some parts for the car," he admitted. Saying it out loud seemed to drill in Robin's point.

"And Beast Boy," he continued, "how many hours did you spend last week on the game console?" Beast Boy's sheepish grin was enough to prove his point. "Starfire has a cell phone, Raven has a Kindle, and the only time we spend together is when a bad guy shows up in Jump City." Looking around at her teammates, they all wore pensive expressions. They got his point. However, the lecture failed to explain the excitement rolling off of him in increasing intensity as he moved through his speech.

"So what's your suggestion Robin?" she asked, not liking where this was headed.

"Team," he said, eyes shining, "we're going camping!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Raven stared at him with her mouth open. She wasn't entirely sure how to react. While this could be a cruel joke it could also very well be real. Judging by the idiotic grin plastered on Robin's face, the latter option was more likely.

She registered similar silence from her teammates. Shifting her eyes to the side, she saw similar blank looks on all three of their faces that she imagined she had on hers.

"What?" Robin asked, his face falling with each second that passed.

"Dude, are you serious? Why would we want to go camping?" Cyborg asked, brows drawn in disdain.

"Please, I do not understand, what is this 'camping?'" Starfire asked politely. Beast Boy opted to answer her question before Robin could.

"It's where we go outside into the wilderness and learn to survive with our bare hands, using only our brains and the forest around us," he explained dramatically. "So for a guy who can change into any animal in the world, I'd say this should be pretty easy. I'm in!" he shouted, flashing Robin a confident smile. The team leader seemed to light up a bit.

Starfire still looked confused. "But why would we subject ourselves to primitive living conditions when it is not necessary?"

"Because some people find perverse enjoyment in it," Raven answered crossly, adding her two cents to the conversation. "Robin, why are we doing this?" She bore her eyes into him, letting him know his response better be good.

"Well, we need to learn some survival skills. We're too dependent on technology," he said with conviction.

"Uh, yeah, some of us are dependent on it to move!" Cyborg exclaimed. "What do you think I'm going to do out in the middle of nowhere? I won't even be able to charge my battery."

"Don't you have a spare?"

Cyborg looked unhappy. "Yes," he admitted reluctantly.

"Then bring it. We're going for a week up to California's great national forests!" Raven scowled. Robin caught her expression and sighed.

"As heroes, we have to be prepared for anything. What if we get stranded somewhere and have to survive on our own until help comes? I consider this a very important part of our training." She rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. If Robin wanted to do this, she didn't have much of a say in it, though that didn't mean she had to like the plan.

"So when did you become such a naturalist?" Cyborg asked. "I thought animal boy over here would be the one asking for time in the woods."

"Hey, just because I can turn into an animal doesn't mean I want to live like one," Beast Boy said defensively.

"I think the condition of your room proves otherwise," Raven quipped. Beast Boy glared at her, but didn't say anything.

"My old mentor was always teaching me new skills. He said you always have to be prepared. So guys, let's get prepared because tomorrow morning we're heading out!"

* * *

It took them twenty minutes to figure out how to pack everything in the car. Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy stood around the T-car, proud of their accomplishment. True, it now seated only four, but as Beast Boy had so keenly pointed out, he could shift into a small animal and be perfectly content in someone's lap. Cyborg checked his arm for the time, about to comment on how Robin was late for his own trip. Finally, the door slid open and he waltzed in, holding nothing more than a backpack. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the T-car.

"Whoa! What's all this stuff for?" he asked, circling around the vehicle to get a better look.

"Uh, camping," Cyborg drawled, confused as to what Robin was so surprised about. He had packed the essentials: a deluxe three-room tent, fire starter and a lighter, a cooler full of food, folding chairs, a space heater (it could get cold at night), sleeping bags and air mattresses, two Nintendo 3DS's, a few board games, and his favorite digital camera, just to capture the moment. Robin frowned at the collection, which was joined by two duffel bags from the boys and Starfire's suitcase.

"Guys, the purpose of this trip isn't just to have fun, it's to learn—"

"Relax man, we're just bringing some stuff to entertain us! We're going to be gone for a week," he pointed out. "Here, I brought some fishing gear so we can catch some dinner!"

Robin seemed to relax a little, clearly pleased at the notion of hunting their own meal. Cyborg shared the feeling: there was nothing like eating food you just caught yourself. _If only the river had barbeque ribs_...

"We can't kill poor innocent fish! I've been a fish!" Beast Boy protested. _This again_. Cyborg rolled his eyes.

"Look green bean, you don't like it, go nibble on some grass," he suggested. Beast Boy shot him daggers.

"Where's Raven?" Robin asked. Cyborg looked around, finally noticing she wasn't there.

"Uh, maybe we should—"

Not two feet from his car a black, swirling portal of energy opened in the floor, which Raven rose up through. In her hand was a small blue duffel bag. As the floor beneath her solidified into its original concrete state, she opened the car door and threw the bag in, plopping down in the back seat.

"Let's go," she said crisply, voice lacking any hint of pleasure or excitement in regard to their trip. The car door slammed closed once she was inside.

"Okay then, you heard the lady, let's go!" Cyborg said. He had to admit, he wasn't too keen on the idea at first, but now that it was actually happening he was growing more fond of the idea.

He waltzed around to the left side of the car and slid into the driver's seat, joined by Robin on the passenger's side. Starfire took the seat next to Raven in the back, though they were separated by a collection of fishing poles that was precariously balanced down the middle of the car. Once she was settled Beast Boy morphed into a kitten and curled up on her lap, causing her to giggle.

"Alright, are you ready for fun? Are you ready for adventure? Are you ready for the most awesome vacation ever?" Cyborg shouted, trying to stir up some excitement.

"It's not a vacation!" Robin replied, but he was drowned out by Starfire's exclamation.

"Oh, yes, yes, and yes!" Beast Boy threw in a meow of agreement.

"Can we just get on the road already?" Raven droned. Cyborg agreed. He was ready for the tires to hit the pavement. With Beast Boy in animal form, it was a quiet ride to I-5, though they received a phone call from Bumblebee an hour into their drive.

"Hey Sparky, just thought I'd let you know we're at the tower," she said, smiling.

"Good. Y'all take care of our city while we're away," he said, putting on a stern air.

"Yeah, yeah, it'll be fine!" she assured him. "Where are you going anyway?"

Cyborg grinned. "You mean Robin didn't tell you?" He cast a glance at Robin, who shook his head no and made a cut throat gesture that Cyborg ignored. "We're going camping!"

Bee narrowed her eyes. "You're tellin' me y'all are making us come babysit your city so you can go on vacation? For real?"

"It's not a vacation!" Robin said again, this time drown out by Bee's complaints.

"You know what, I think we have to get going. Thanks Bumblebee! Say hi to the team for us!" Cyborg ended the transmission and let out a sigh of relief.

"Told you not to tell her," Robin grumbled.

* * *

Beast Boy stretched his limbs, glad to be back in his human form after the long car ride. He took a deep breath of mountain air, a smile coming to his face. You didn't get air like that in Jump City, that was for sure. He turned back to his friends who were unloading the car as strategically as they had packed it.

They were sitting in a gas station parking lot right outside of the forest. There they had found an armload of maps to help them navigate, and according to Robin there would be a great campsite a few miles into the woods.

Cyborg sat by his car glumly, upset they had to leave it.

"Goodbye baby, be safe while we're gone," he said as he stroked the exterior. Robin rolled his eyes, but Raven was the one to speak.

"You upgraded it with enough security features to keep a falling leaf from touching it. I'm sure it will be fine," she said flatly.

"What we should really be worried about is hiking ten miles with all this stuff," Robin said, gesturing to the pile of equipment around the car.

"Do not worry!" Starfire exclaimed, grabbing almost half of it with ease and floating towards the woods. "I am most capable of transporting our things!" Beast Boy was happy to see her grab the stuff: now he wouldn't have to carry as much. Cyborg took another part of the load, and Raven lifted the last of it with her powers and let it trail behind her as she walked. She did, however, conveniently leave Robin's backpack all by itself on the ground. He sighed as he walked over to retrieve it. Beast Boy looked around and grinned.

"Oh, well, nothing left for me to take!" he said happily as he strode past Robin and Cyborg. Suddenly his bag, encased in black energy, came hurtling towards his chest, knocking the air out of his lungs.

"Or not," he mumbled, wrapping his arms around the luggage. He had to admit he had that one coming. Cyborg locked the car via his set of keys and they began their trek through the forest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Raven watched them work with mild interest. It was somewhat entertaining to see Cyborg wrestling with the tent. This was the guy who built a spaceship for Azar's sake, you'd think he'd be able to handle some nylon and PVC.

She herself was assigned the mundane task of gathering water from the stream a few minutes away, though for what she didn't know. They had a cooler full of water bottles and soda cans, though when she pointed that out to Robin he snapped at her. She didn't argue further out of pity as she watched him construct his fire. At least now Beast Boy had come over to offer information from a webpage he had pulled up on his communicator. _Yeah, we're really roughing it_, she sighed to herself.

She looked to the sky, which was currently streaked with pinks and oranges from the setting sun. It was a good thing the boys were just about done, they had only a few minutes worth of daylight left.

"Alright, the tent is up! Grab your stuff and come on in!" Cyborg announced, standing next to the heaping mass of fabric proudly. Raven rolled her eyes, grabbed her sleeping bag and duffel, and marched inside the tent.

There was a central area with two smaller sleeping areas to either side. Raven saw two air mattresses in the one on the left and threw her stuff down on one of them, presuming Starfire would take the other. She had packed a spare uniform, several books, some basic hygiene items, and a bottle of allergy medication.

She assumed it was a result of growing up in another dimension, but she had terrible allergies to plants and animals. Fortunately, she lived in a city, spent little time outside, and the pet larva was hypoallergenic by nature. During times like these, when she knew she would be exposed to her triggers for extended periods, she always took the precaution of medicating herself against it.

As Starfire entered and began to unpack, cheerily chatting away, Raven pulled a book from her bag and settled down on the mattress, ready to continue the mystery novel from where she left off. The mystery aspect of the story was entertaining, though she couldn't say she liked the romance. Not that she didn't enjoy romance novels—a good portion of her bookcase was filled with them—but this particular storyline had her rolling her eyes. Somehow two people who were complete opposites went from arguing to in love almost overnight.

"Raven, are you coming?" The girl looked up at the sound of her name to find Starfire at the zippered entrance to the tent, beckoning her with bright eyes.

"To what?" she drawled, sure she missed something important hidden in Starfire's babble.

"We are going to partake in the tradition of sitting around flaming tree parts and using the heat to prepare our meal," she explained with a smile.

Raven sighed. "As fun as that sounds..."

"Please, you must join us!" Starfire insisted with a pout. "Afterwards we will share tales of ghosts in hopes of frightening one another!" Raven furrowed her brow, wondering how Starfire thought that was going to entice her.

In the end, it didn't matter. As usual, she relented and joined her friends.

Robin leaned back in his sturdy folding chair, munching contently on his second s'more. Those, of course, came after the parade of hot dogs that Cyborg had roasted to grilled perfection over the fire. He watched Starfire giggle from across the fire as she received a lesson in marshmallow roasting from Beast Boy.

"Oh come on BB, you're making this too complicated!" Cyborg interjected, sliding a marshmallow on his stick in preparation for a demonstration. "All you gotta do is stick it in the fire, let it burn for a few seconds, and bam—it's ready." He blew on his flaming marshmallow and held the charred ball out proudly. Robin grimaced.

"Uh, I think Beast Boy's method is a little... better," he said slowly, watching with equal parts disgust and fascination as Cyborg popped the blackened treat into his mouth. Cyborg merely shrugged.

Robin turned to the girl beside him, who unsurprisingly sat with her nose in a book.

"Raven, you don't want a s'more?" he asked politely, though he could anticipate the answer.

"Pass," she drawled, closing her book as she turned her attention to the boy's antics. _At least she doesn't look miserable_, Robin thought optimistically.

Robin's eyes turned to the woods around them, where he could see the flickering light of the campfire dance among the trees. The sun was almost set; all that was left was a hemisphere of red light on the horizon.

"Know what it's time for?" Beast Boy asked loudly, causing Robin to turn back to the group.

"Bed?" Raven quipped flatly.

"Ghost stories!" he announced. Robin smiled. He loved a good ghost story, and especially loved telling them. He had a few good ones up his sleeve that he was eager to share.

The each sat down in their folding chairs as Beast Boy stood near the fire, letting the illumination add drama to his act.

"Okay, I'm going first. Once, on a dark and stormy night, a guy and his girlfriend were driving on an empty road through the woods in the pouring rain. It was a downpour, and when the dude tried to slow down, the car skidded and they spun out of control."

"Seriously? Guy can't drive in the rain?" Cyborg interjected, earning a glare from Beast Boy. "Sorry," he said sheepishly as Beast Boy cleared his throat to continue.

"They spun off the road and into a ditch, slamming to a stop as they ran straight into a tree. They were startled and afraid, but they were both okay. The guy—"

"Please, might we perhaps give these two characters names? It is most confusing to continue to refer to them as 'the guy' and 'the girl.'" Beast Boy rolled his eyes, but conceded.

"Fine. The guy's name is... Steve, and the girl's name is, um..."

"East!" Starfire suggested enthusiastically. Robin couldn't help but join the others in giving her a confused look.

"Uh, Star, that's not really a name," Robin explained slowly, trying not to embarrass her.

She drew her brows together as she frowned. "But I was watching the program 'Entertainment Tonight,' and they described a child born to Kim Kardashian who was given the name 'North.' Are directions not acceptable names for human children?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy burst out laughing. Robin tried to help her understand over the noise of their chuckling. "Um, normally no."

"How about we just call the girl Suzzie," Cyborg suggested.

Beast Boy rolled his eyes. "_Anyway_, Steve got out to check the car and found that it was totaled. They were stranded with no one in sight."

"Couldn't they use their cell phones to call for help," Raven said flatly, looking up from her book.

"There wasn't any service!" Beast Boy shouted, exasperated from the interruptions. "Can I _please_ just finish the story?"

The Titans nodded. "Go ahead Beast Boy," Robin added as encouragement.

"Okay, so now they're stranded in their car when Steve says he's going to have to go look for help. 'Turn off the headlights and lock the doors,' he told her nervously. Suzzie didn't want him to go, but they both knew they had no choice.

"Steve was gone for a few minutes before she heard it. A shriek, a thump, and a strange gurgling noise. She turned frantically, looking to see what had happened, but she couldn't see anything in the darkness. Frightened, she shrank down into her seat.

"She sat in silence for a while, and then she noticed another sound. _Bump. Bump. Bump_. It was a soft sound, like something being blown by the wind.

"Suddenly, the car was illuminated by a bright light. An official sounding voice told her to get out of the car. She thought that Steve must have found a police officer. Suzzie unlocked the door and tumbled out of the car. As her eyes adjusted to the bright light, she saw it. Hanging by his feet from the tree they had crashed into was Steve's dead body. His bloody throat had been cut so deeply that he was nearly decapitated, his blood dripping onto the hood of the car. The wind swung his corpse back and forth so that it thumped against the tree. _Bump. Bump. Bump_.

"Suzzie screamed and ran toward the voice and the light. As she drew close, she realized the man behind the car was no police officer. Standing there was the figure of a man with a smile on his face and a large, solid axe in his hands. She backed away from the man until she bumped into the car. 'You've been very naughty. Now you must be punished.' The last thing she saw was the glint of the axe blade in the eerie glow of the flashlight."

Robin gulped. There was something about telling ghost stories in the dark woods that made them that much more frightening. He snuck a glance at his other teammates, who mostly looked terrified. All but Raven, whose face remained impassive. He noticed though that her book was closed on her lap, her eyes focused on Beast Boy as he finished his tale.

"Dude," Cyborg breathed.

"That was most frightening!" Starfire exclaimed, eyes wide. "You have done a wonderful job friend!" Her face softened as they all recovered from the tale.

Beast Boy grinned. "Thank you, thank you. Ten bucks to whoever can top _that_." He strode over to his chair and plopped down, confident in his victory.

Robin racked his brain but couldn't come up with a story he thought would best Beast Boy's. Both Starfire and Cyborg also remained silent, until Cyborg's face lit up.

"You know who I bet could tell a mean ghost story?" He grinned. "Raven." Robin's face turned to the girl, who merely shrugged.

"Pff, yeah right," Beast Boy sneered. "Raven may be the queen of creepy, but what I just told was true art." Robin rolled his eyes at his friend's cockiness, then turned to Raven.

"Come on Raven, I bet you could beat him," he said, egging her on. Each of the Titans had their eyes on her, urging her to try. Silently, she stood from her seat to a round of cheers from all but Beast Boy. She held out her hand, asking for silence, and they gave it to her.

"The forest around you is very, very old," she began in her low voice, injecting a twinge of suspense. "It has seen many things, knows many secrets. If you listen closely, you can hear them." She paused for a moment, letting the crickets and hooting of owls make an eerie background noise.

"A long time ago, when native people called these woods their home, a beast roamed the forest that was feared by all. No one knew what the creature looked like, because no one who saw it ever lived to tell. Every night, the people would go back to their homes and lock themselves in as best they could, knowing that the thing only awoke at night.

"One night, a family closed their doors, huddling together as they did every night and praying that the beast stayed away. The mother screamed, noticing with horror that her youngest son had somehow slipped out. The mother ran outside despite her family's cries, calling the son's name and looking for her beloved child. Other people heard her, but no one, not even her own family, dared to leave the safety of their home.

"Suddenly, she heard a howl, a sound of pure anger and ferocity. Her eyes widened and she backed away slowly from the direction it came from. Suddenly, there was a scraping sound to her right. She turned, but there was nothing there. Her bodies shook with fear, but she didn't dare move for she didn't want the creature to see her.

"The hair on the back of her neck stood straight as she suddenly felt heavy, hot breath on her back. She whirled around desperately, but again there was nothing. A thump came from in front of her, a soft but sickening sound. Slowly, she turned to see what had made the noise. It was her son's severed, bloody head, rolling across the ground in front of her.

"She shrieked, running back in the direction of her house. She pounded on the door, but no one would let her in. Her stomach dropped when she heard a growl behind her. She turned around one final time, looking the monster in the eyes before its jaw clamped around her neck."

Raven took a breath, closing her eyes and letting the story sink in. In a softer, quieter voice, she continued.

"Even today there are rumors that the beast still lives in these woods. Campers go missing, campsites destroyed and not a trace of where they went. People say they hear howls late at night, too vicious to be a wolf. Those that are wise never enter the woods, for fear that they'll face the same fate the mother did so many years ago." She smirked. "Robin says we're staying for a week. I guess we'll just have to see if the stories are true."

Robin sat unmoving in his chair, mouth half open. His eyes darted nervously around the woods and though he tried to look unaffected, he failed miserably. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Beast Boy stand, and watched him approach Raven. He dug around in his pocket, pulled out a ten dollar bill and handed it to Raven, then returned stiffly to his seat.

"Raven, did you just come up with that?" Cyborg asked.

She shook her head no, then reached down to retrieve her book. Wedged in as a makeshift bookmark was one of the brochures she had pulled from the rest stop. She held it out and Robin strained to read the front.

_Northern Californian Folklore._

"I do not understand. Are you meaning to say that this story was... true?" Starfire asked with a gulp.

"Some believe in the legend, some do not, but there _are_ many unexplained disappearances in the area," Raven said with a smirk.

The Titans sat in silence as Raven folded her chair and leaned it against a tree. Book in hand, she turned to face them. "I'm going to bed. Have a nice night."

Robin looked around at his team's faces, all a little apprehensive. _Great,_ he thought to himself, _so much for a good night's sleep_.

* * *

Okay, a little later than anticipated. Sorry about that. And I totally stole the plot for the first story off the internet, so I suppose I should add a disclaimer that I don't own it. Hope you enjoyed it!

XOXO Gwen


End file.
